Otto Porter Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Warriors Notes: Green, Roster Openings, Wiggins, Poole, Durant, Lacob

July 23rd, 2022 at 10:35am CST by Dana Gauruder

JaMychal Green officially became a free agent on Friday when he cleared waivers. That opens up a path for Green to sign with the Warriors. He’ll provide necessary depth at forward, since Golden State lost Otto Porter Jr. to Toronto and Nemanja Bjelica decided to play in Europe. Green is a proven 3-point threat and can guard multiple positions, Anthony Slater of The Athletic writes.

We have more on the Warriors:

In the same story, Slater indicates Golden State will likely guarantee only 14 roster spots heading into training camp. Green would fill the 12th spot and rookie Ryan Rollins is expected to sign a multi-year contract. Andre Iguodala could fill the 14th spot if he doesn’t retire.
The Nets are not “super high” on Andrew Wiggins and Jordan Poole as centerpieces of a deal for Kevin Durant, Zach Lowe of ESPN said on his podcast (hat tip to Ali Thanawalla of Yahoo Sports). That’s one reason why a deal with Golden State didn’t gain traction, even though it had some picks to dangle. “I don’t know if there ever really was a deal there that the Nets would have done. Obviously, you have to explore it if you’re the Warriors,” Lowe said. It’s also worth noting that Brooklyn wouldn’t be able to acquire Wiggins this season as long as Ben Simmons is still on the team.
Owner Joe Lacob made his case with fellow team owners at the recent Board of Governors meeting in Las Vegas that tax penalties should be reduced when teams re-sign players they drafted, Marc Stein reports in his latest Substack article. Three of Golden State’s four highest-paid players — Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green — were draft picks that have only played for one team.

Contract Details: J. Smith, Oladipo, Co. Martin, Payton, More

July 7th, 2022 at 6:45am CST by Luke Adams

Jalen Smith‘s new deal with the Pacers, initially reported as a two-year agreement, is actually a three-year contract with a player option in year three, according to Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files (Twitter link). The deal also includes a trade kicker, says Agness.

Hoops Rumors can confirm Agness’ report and add that Smith’s trade kicker is worth 10%. The Pacers gave the big man the highest starting salary they legally could after the 2022/23 option in his rookie scale contract was turned down last year, resulting in a 2022/23 cap hit of $4,670,160 and subsequent 8% annual raises. Smith’s three-year deal has a total value of $15.13MM.

Here are a few more details on recently signed or agreed-upon contracts:

According to Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald, Victor Oladipo‘s two-year deal with the Heat will be worth in the neighborhood of $18MM. As we relayed on Wednesday evening, Oladipo agreed to lower his 2022/23 salary in exchange for a second-year option. Dewayne Dedmon‘s two-year contract with the Heat, meanwhile, is worth $4.7MM in ’22/23 with a non-guaranteed $4.32MM salary in ’23/24.
Cody Martin‘s four-year contract with the Hornets is worth a total of $31.36MM, Hoops Rumors has learned. Martin’s $8.68MM salary in the final season of the deal (2025/26) is non-guaranteed.
Gary Payton II‘s three-year deal with the Trail Blazers has a starting salary of $8.3MM and is worth $26.15MM in total, slightly below its reported value of $28MM, Hoops Rumors has learned. The signing leaves Portland with a small portion of its mid-level exception remaining.
Jae’Sean Tate‘s three-year contract with the Rockets has a base value of $20.63MM, but can be worth up to $22.13MM if Tate earns all of his unlikely incentives. Kelly Iko of The Athletic previously reported that those incentives are tied to the team’s performance and that Tate’s contract includes a third-year team option.
Anfernee Simons‘ new four-year, $100MM contract with the Trail Blazers is fully guaranteed, without any incentives, Hoops Rumors has learned. It begins at $22.32MM in 2022/23 and eventually increases to $27.68MM in ’25/26.
New Raptors forward Otto Porter will earn $6MM in 2022/23, with a $6.3MM player option in ’23/24, Hoops Rumors has learned.

Atlantic Notes: Porter, Brunson, Gibson, Tucker, Davison

July 6th, 2022 at 10:01pm CST by Arthur Hill

After winning a ring with the Warriors this year, Otto Porter Jr. is now focused on getting another one with the Raptors, writes Doug Smith of The Toronto Star. Porter called it “a tough decision” to leave Golden State and sign a two-year, $12.4MM deal with Toronto.

The 29-year-old forward said he had some other offers, but he was most comfortable with the Raptors. Porter’s wife is from Toronto, which played a role in his choice.

“Winning a championship last year in Golden State, I feel like I can bring that experience here to help the younger guys out,” Porter said. “Being with (Thaddeus Young) again (after being teammates in Chicago two seasons ago), I know he has been there and done it with his leadership and (he is going) to continue to give guidance to the young guys.”

There’s more from the Atlantic Division:

The trade sending Kemba Walker to the Pistons was finalized today, but the Knicks still have options if they want to turn their agreement with Jalen Brunson into a sign-and-trade, tweets Fred Katz of The Athletic. A separate deal that has Detroit acquiring Alec Burks and Nerlens Noel still hasn’t been made official and could be folded into a larger transaction. Katz adds that the Pistons needed to complete the Walker trade so that Jalen Duren will be eligible for Summer League.
Several teams would be interested in Taj Gibson if the Knicks waive him to create cap room to sign Brunson, according to Ian Begley of SNY.tv (Twitter link). Gibson’s contract for next season is non-guaranteed.
The Sixers gave P.J. Tucker a player option for the final season of his three-year, $33MM contract, tweets Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report.
JD Davison feels like he has something to prove in Summer League after sliding to the 53rd pick in the draft, per Brian Robb of MassLive. Even though the Alabama guard was disappointed to be taken so low, he was happy to wind up with a successful organization like the Celtics. “When I got that call from the Celtics,” Davison said, “when my agent called and said the Celtics got you, it’s an organization where they win. So it was just really important to where I know I can come in here and get better every day and just come here and win. I was very happy.”

Atlantic Notes: Porter, Raptors, Knicks, Celtics, Reed

July 4th, 2022 at 10:21am CST by Luke Adams

Otto Porter Jr.‘s two-year contract with the Raptors, which includes a player option for 2023/24, will have a total value of $12.4MM, reports Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca (Twitter link).

Because Porter’s first-year salary will only be about $6MM, Toronto isn’t using more than the taxpayer portion ($6.48MM) of the mid-level exception to complete his deal and won’t be hard-capped as a result of the signing.

However, if the Raptors want to give second-round pick Christian Koloko a starting salary higher than the minimum and/or a deal longer than two years, they would need to use a portion of the MLE, meaning they’ll exceed the taxpayer MLE limit and would have a hard cap of $156.98MM for the 2022/23 league year.

Here’s more from around the Atlantic:

In assessing the Knicks‘ offseason moves to date, Zach Braziller of The New York Post suggests that the club could still use one more wing after trading Alec Burks to Detroit. Here’s our list of the free agent wings who are still on the board.
Ethan Fuller of BasketballNews.com takes a look at how Malcolm Brogdon will fit in with the Celtics and what the acquisition means for the team going forward.
Sixers big man Paul Reed won’t be on the team’s Las Vegas Summer League roster, but he’s suiting up for the 76ers at the Salt Lake City Summer League this week and will look to show he deserves a regular spot in the team’s rotation next season. “I mean it’s an opportunity for me to get better, honestly,” Reed said, per Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. “I feel like going into next season, I have a chance to show them what I’ve been working on, so I can prove my value. That’s kind of my mindset. I just want to get better.”

Free Agency Notes: LaVine, Harden, Porter Jr., Mavericks

July 2nd, 2022 at 1:52pm CST by JD Shaw

Bulls star Zach LaVine agreed to re-sign with the team on Friday, reaching a five-year, maximum-salary agreement worth $215MM. While the money was certainly a major factor in LaVine’s decision, it’s also about his loyalty to the Bulls and his confidence in the team’s direction going forward, K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago writes.

“Chicago is my home,” LaVine said. “I really started making my name here. And I want to continue what I helped start here as well. I’m extremely excited. I appreciate the fans. And I’m ready to continue this winning process that we have going.”

LaVine guided the Bulls to a playoff berth this season, averaging 24.4 points, 4.6 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game. He also shot an efficient 48% from the floor and 39% from distance. It was his second straight All-Star campaign — the only two of his career to date.

Here are some other free agency-related notes:

The Sixers are meeting with star free agent James Harden in the Hamptons on Saturday to discuss a multi-year deal, Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports reports (via Twitter). Harden opted out of his $47.3MM player option and will presumably accept a more team-friendly multiyear deal. Philadelphia acquired him prior to last season’s trade deadline, sending away a package that featured disgruntled star Ben Simmons.
Otto Porter Jr.‘s deal with the Raptors is believed to be worth most, if not all, of the $10.5MM non-taxpayer mid-level exception, Josh Lewenberg of TSN Sports writes. Porter reportedly agreed to a two-year deal with Toronto. The second season contains a player option.
The Mavericks may keep an open roster spot for the immediate future, veteran NBA reporter Marc Stein relays (Twitter link). Dallas has expressed interest in free agent guard Goran Dragic, but the team’s need for a back-up wing is apparent. The Mavs could wait to see if an unexpected solution arises at the position, Stein notes.

Raptors Sign Otto Porter To Two-Year Deal

July 1st, 2022 at 10:29am CST by Luke Adams

JULY 6: The Raptors have sent out a press release officially announcing the signing of Porter. As Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca recently reported, the two-year deal will be worth $12.4MM.

JULY 1: On the heels of winning a championship with Golden State, free agent forward Otto Porter has agreed to a two-year deal with the Raptors, according to Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports, who reports that the second year of Porter’s new contract will be a player option.

Porter, 29, averaged 8.2 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 1.5 APG, and 1.1 SPG in a part-time role with the Warriors this past season, posting a shooting line of .464/.370/.803 in 63 games (22.2 MPG). He was also a regular part of the rotation during the club’s playoff run, appearing in 19 games and logging 19.5 minutes per contest.

The third overall pick in the 2013 draft, Porter has long been considered a solid three-and-D forward with good size. He signed a maximum-salary offer sheet as a restricted free agent in 2017, but battled injuries over the course of the deal, bouncing around from Washington to Chicago to Orlando, and ultimately had to settle for a minimum-salary contract with the Warriors last summer.

Golden State had another minimum-salary offer on the table to Porter this offseason, according to Anthony Slater of The Athletic (Twitter link), but after rebuilding his value on the champion Warriors, the former Georgetown star figures to get a earn more than that on his deal with the Raptors. Terms aren’t yet known, but Toronto has its mid-level exception available.

The Raptors are already loaded at the forward spot, but have committed to playing a relatively positionless style, and Porter – who has a career .398 3PT% – fits the team’s need for outside shooting.

Porter’s wife is from Toronto, which was one factor in his free agency decision, tweets Haynes.

Trail Blazers Eyeing Gary Payton II, Bruce Brown

June 30th, 2022 at 11:01pm CST by Rory Maher

The Trail Blazers are pursuing free agent guard Gary Payton II with an offer in the range of $8MM, but there’s still mutual interested in a return to the Warriors, sources tell Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report (Twitter link). Fischer adds that the Blazers are also eyeing Bruce Brown, another free agent guard, who has been with the Nets the last couple of seasons.

After bouncing between the G League and the NBA in his first five seasons and never finding a consistent home or role, Payton had a terrific season for the Warriors in 2021/22, appearing in 71 regular season games (16 starts) while averaging 7.1 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.4 steals on .616/.358/.603 shooting. Though he averaged only 17.6 minutes per night, his impact was clear when he had opportunities, showcasing jaw-dropping athleticism, a knack for the ball, hustle, and excellent defense.

The 29-year-old played a key role during Golden State’s championship run, averaging 7.0 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.6 steals in five Finals contests (18.5 minutes per night) after returning from a fractured left elbow. In his first six playoff games (18 minutes) prior to the injury, he averaged 7.0 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1 steal on .727/.750/.667 shooting.

Like Payton, Brown is one of the better perimeter defenders in the league, and the Nets trading for Royce O’Neale was viewed as an indication that Brown was unlikely to return to Brooklyn. In 71 regular season games (24.6 minutes) last season, Brown averaged 9 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.1 steals on .506/.404/.758 shooting.

Despite being swept by the Celtics in the first round of the playoffs, Brown was arguably Brooklyn’s most consistent postseason performer, averaging 14 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.3 steals on .568/.429/.800 shooting.

Anthony Slater and Sam Amick of The Athletic report that both Kevon Looney and Payton are searching for more money than the Warriors are willing to offer, thus increasing the chances that Payton, in particular, bolts in free agency. Both players want to return to Golden State, but at the right price, which is where the separation currently exists, according to The Athletic’s duo.

The chance of a reunion between Otto Porter and the Warriors is still possible, per Slater and Amick, who say that Porter is contemplating whether to return on a minimum deal or take a larger offer elsewhere.

Otto Porter, Gary Harris, T.J. Warren Among Lakers’ Potential FA Targets

June 30th, 2022 at 8:50am CST by Luke Adams

The Lakers‘ options on the free agent market this week will likely be limited, since the team will only be able to offer the $6.5MM taxpayer mid-level exception or a minimum-salary contract to potential targets. However, as Jovan Buha of The Athletic writes, the team will still aim high, hoping to sell players on the opportunity to start and the ability to increase their stock with a strong year in Los Angeles, like Malik Monk did in 2021/22.

According to Buha, youth, length, athleticism, and shooting are among the traits the Lakers will be prioritizing. Two-way wings who could come in and potentially start alongside Anthony Davis, LeBron James, and Russell Westbrook will be a priority, sources tell The Athletic.

Here are some details on the types of players the Lakers will be eyeing in free agency:

Otto Porter Jr., Nicolas Batum, Gary Harris, T.J. Warren, Caleb Martin, Cody Martin, and Danuel House are among the wings the Lakers will target using their full taxpayer mid-level exception, sources tell Buha. Big man Mohamed Bamba is also on the team’s radar as a possible TMLE option, Buha adds.
The Lakers have “strong interest” in bringing back Monk, but that will depend both on his market and on the quality of players available to the club for the taxpayer mid-level, says Buha. The team would likely have to use the MLE to sign Monk, since it can otherwise only offer him a deal worth about $2.6MM.
Jeremy Lamb, Nemanja Bjelica, Jevon Carter, and Juan Toscano-Anderson are among the players that will receive interest from the Lakers for either a portion of the mid-level or a minimum-salary deal, Buha writes.
Dan Woike and Broderick Turner of The Los Angeles Times identify Thomas Bryant and Damian Jones as centers who could draw interest from the Lakers. Woike and Turner also say that some rival executives believe Bulls guard Coby White could be a target for L.A.

Western Free Agent Rumors: Monk, Warriors, Walker, Dragic, House

June 29th, 2022 at 11:03am CST by Arthur Hill

The Lakers are hoping to re-sign Malik Monk with their taxpayer mid-level exception, but that may not be enough to keep the 24-year-old guard, according to Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report.

Monk indicated this week that he might accept less money to stay in L.A., but sources tell Fischer that he plans to explore his value on the open market. The Lakers are limited to an offer of around $6.4MM under the MLE.

Monk developed into a valuable scoring threat in his first year with the team, averaging 13.8 points in 76 games while shooting 47.3% from the field and 39.1% on three-pointers.

There’s more free agent news from the Western Conference:

The Warriors are likely to keep center Kevon Looney, Fischer states in the same piece, with other teams expecting him to get a multi-year contract that averages about $10MM per season. Golden State would like to re-sign Gary Payton II, but he could be tempted to leave for a full mid-level offer. Otto Porter may not return, as sources tell Fischer that he might get several offers at the taxpayer MLE.
The Spurs aren’t expected to keep Lonnie Walker, Fischer adds. San Antonio must decide by today whether to extend a $6.3MM qualifying offer to the 23-year-old guard.
Jalen Brunson‘s expected exit from Dallas increases the likelihood that veteran guard Goran Dragic will emerge as a target for the Mavericks, Marc Stein writes in his latest column for Substack.
The Kings may have interest in signing forward Danuel House, tweets Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee.

Warriors Notes: Looney, Wiggins, Porter, Salary

June 18th, 2022 at 4:21pm CST by Arthur Hill

With another NBA title in their possession, the Warriors will now see how much of their team they can keep together, writes Logan Murdock of The Ringer. One of the key pieces in question is center Kevon Looney, who will be an unrestricted free agent on June 30. Looney, who became the Golden State’s full-time starting center this season, said he hopes to re-sign with the team.

“This is definitely my number one option,” he said. “I’ve been here my whole career. … So this will definitely be number one.”

Looney should far exceed the three-year, $14.4MM contract he just completed, and the Hornets and Kings are both expected to pursue him, Marc Stein writes in a story for Substack. New Sacramento head coach Mike Brown worked closely with Looney during his time as a Warriors assistant.

There’s more on the NBA champs:

The Warriors also face a decision on Andrew Wiggins, who will be eligible for an extension this summer ahead of unrestricted free agency in 2023, Murdock adds in the same piece. Wiggins has excelled since coming to Golden State in a 2020 trade and was an important part of this year’s playoff run. “I would love to stay here,” Wiggins said during today’s exit interviews. “This is top-notch. The way they treat their players, the way they treat your family. We’re all one big family. A lot of places might say that, but here their actions show it.” (Twitter link from Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area).
Free agent forward Otto Porter expressed a similar sentiment in his exit interview, tweets Kendra Andrews of ESPN. Porter will be back on the open market after signing a one-year, minimum-salary deal last summer. “I do know this team can compete for another championship,” he said. “And I think it would be a great opportunity if I can stay here. It would be an amazing to be here with this group of guys again and do it all over again.”
The Warriors set a league record by spending more than $350MM on combined salary and luxury tax payments this season, and that number could easily top $400MM in the next two years, according to Bobby Marks of ESPN (Insider link). He points out that payroll would reach $390MM if Looney and Gary Payton II are brought back at $6MM per year and would balloon to $430MM if the Warriors also use their mid-level exception.